“The concept is simple: as you travel deeper into a maze, your path typically becomes more convoluted. What if we invert this scenario and create a maze that brings clarity and visual understanding upon reaching the heart of the labyrinth”, Bjarke Ingels, Founding Partner, BIG.

“This distinctive maze offers our visitors a chance to physically interact with the work of a cutting-edge, international design firm,” said Chase W. Rynd, executive director of the National Building Museum. “It will be a great framework for exploring the exhibition in a few months.”

Inspired by ancient labyrinths, gardens and hedge mazes of 17th – 18th-century Europe, and modern American corn mazes, the BIG Maze is located in the National Building Museum’s historic Great Hall. From outside, the maze’s cube-like form hides the final reveal behind its 20-foot-tall walls. On the inside, the walls slowly descend towards the center which concludes with a grand reveal—a 360 degree understanding of your path in and how to get out. The 57×57 feet installation of Baltic birch plywood is open from July 4th to September 1st, 2014.

The BIG Exhibition opening in January 2015 will showcase around 90 projects that will grace each of the arches in the Grand Hall visible from ground floor and allowing for a closer view upstairs.